All certificates come directly from the Genbukan Honbu Dōjō in Japan.
The Genbukan uses the kyū / dan system which is used in the majority of Japanese martial arts. Also, associated with ranks and licenses in the Genbukan is the menkyo system. These are licenses that were issued to members of ryūha before the kyū / dan system was created. Each ryūha are different from each other when it comes to the names of the licenses given, but generally they follow these basic names:
Shoden Menkyo (entry transmission license) / Shodan Mokuroku (entry level catalog)
Chuden Menkyo (middle transmission license) / Chū Gokui Menkyo (middle secret principles license)
Okuden Menkyo (inner transmission license) / Gokui Menkyo (secret principles license)
Menkyo (license) / Shinan Menkyo (teaching license)
Menkyo Kaiden (license of total transmission) / Sōden (final transmission)
Common Japanese terms that are usually associated with ranking or titles are listed below.
Some are honorific which are used to show respect. For example, it is considered rude to call
yourself or make others call you “sensei.”
Sensei - 先生 teacher
Senpai - 先輩 senior
Kōhai - 後輩 junior
Renshi - 連師 awarded title: group teacher (4th
dan)
Kyōshi - 教師 awarded title: teacher (must be 5th
dan)
Jun Shihan - 準師範 awarded title: semi-master instructor
(7th dan)
Shihan
- 師範 awarded title: master instructor (8th dan)
Shihan-chō - 師範長 awarded title: leading master instructor (9th dan)
Dōjō-chō - 道場長 school leader
Kanchō - 館長 organization director
Sōke
- 宗家 headmaster of a school, family head